Process for the production of ammonia.



UNIT-QED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

ROGER WILLIABT. lN'ALLACE AND EUGENE WASSMER. LONDON, ENGLAND.

PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AMMONIA.

N 0 Drawing.

To all 10. mm,- it may (-onccrn Be it known that we, Room: \Yumnr VVALmcic, residing atv Q llm-court Buildings, Temple. London, E. England. and .llr- GENE lvassmcu. ot 42 Manor llouse, Mar \'lehone lhmd. London, l\'.. llngland. have invented a. new or Improved Process for the Production of Ammonia, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention for a novel process for obtaining ammonia from nitrogen.

In carrying out our invention we pass nitrogen over an metals (at the required temperature) capable of forming a nitrid which nitrid is capable of being subsequently transformed into a sulfid. This nitrid we divide into two portions. Over one portion (hereinafter termed the first portion) we pass sulfureted hydrogen so to release the nitrogen as sultid of ammonium and so as to form a. sulfid of the metal. The other portion of the nitrid (hereinafter termed the second portion).is used to obtain a chlorid of theanet-al and this may be done for example in one of the two following ways (a) The nitrid is treated with steam or moist air and in some. cases an alkali in solution a) as to free the ammonia, the mid or bydra'te formed being treated with h 'drochloric acid so as to obtain the chlorid, or'

(b) The nitrid is treated with hydrochloric acid gas so as to orm ammonium chlorid and a chlorid of the metal. The sulfid and chlorid of the metal thus obtained are mixed together and introduced into an electrolytic bath and treated so that the metal is formed throughout the bath. Or the metal may be drawn ofi' in the liquid state. This metal is then treated to form nitrid as hereinhe ore mentioned. The chlorids of sulfur and or the. products of their dissociation which are given off 'from the hath are used to obtain sulfureted hydrogen and hydrochloric. acid gas in any well known way which gases are used to obtain sultid and chlorid from the nitrid obtained in the prccess as herrinhefore mentioned. The sulfid and chlorid lllllr obtained are then treated in the electrolytic bath and the cycle of operations is repeated.

I In the case of magnesium we find that: good results are obtained by dividing the nitrid in the proportions of three quarters and one quarter, the larger portion to be converted into sulfid and the lesser port-ion into chlorid. This is for replenishingthe bath when working. \Vhen starting the Specification of Letters Patent.

lat-entet'l Dec. 30, 1913.

Application filed August 18, 1513. Serial 1:10. 785,325.

process however it is desirable in order to secure good conditions in the bath to put in a larger proportion of chlorid, say equal portions of sulfid and chlorid.

When we have a convenient extraneous source of'chlorid it is unnecessary to transform the whole of the metal obtained into nitrid. This only necessary to transform into nitrid such portion of the metal as will the portion which. we have hereinbefore termed the first portion and which is used to obtain the sulfid.

Sulfureted hydrogen is partly recovered from the sulfid of ammonium when treated with acid as in the case of the manufacture of sulfate of ammonia and partly from the sulfur chlorid which we prefer to decompose in water sulfur being deposited and hydrochloric acid formed. The deposited sulfur may be transformed into sulfureted hydrogen by any well known process.

In the case of magnesium for example the treatment of the nitrid with hydrochloric acid gas is carried out. at ordinary temperature. Should the reaction cause a rise in temperature suitable means for cooling and maintaining at; ordinary temperature may be employed it judged necessary.

,IIaving thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is l. The herein described cyclic process of producing ammonia from free nitrogen, which comprises treating a-metal with nitrogen to form nitrid, separating said nitrid into two portions, converting one portion of the nitrid into a metal sulfid and converting another portion of the nitrid into a metal chlorid, electrolyzing the mixture of said metal chlorid and sulfid to produce a metal and sulfur chlorid and repeat ing the cycle. of operations.

9. A cyclic process for the production of ammonia which comprises (1) treating a metal with nitrogen to form nitrid. (2), dividing the nitrid into two portions, (3) treating one portion with hydrogen sulfid to form metal sulfid and ammonium sulfid, and treating the other portion with hydrochloric acid toform metal chlorid and ammonium chlorid (4) electrolytically convertmetal and sulfur chlorid; reintroducing the metal into the first step of the process, and

-:*onverting the sulfur chlorid into hygive a quantity of nitrid corresponding with mg said metal sulfid and metal chlorid into drogen sulfid and hydrochloric acid, for use in the third step of the process.

-3. A cyclic process for the production of ammonia, which comprises (1) treating metallic magnesium with nitrogen to form magnesium nitrid, (2) dividing said nitrid into two portions, (3) treating one portion with hydrogen 'sulfid to form magnesium suhid and ammonium snlfid, and treating the other portion with hydrochloric acid to form magnesium chlorid and ammonium chlorid (4) electrolytically converting said magnesium sulfid and magnesium chlorid into metallic magnesium and sulfur chlorid; reintroducing the metallic magnesium into the first step of the process, and (5) converting the' sulfur chlorid into hydrogen sulfid, and hyportions and treating one portion to form a sulfid and the other portion to form a chlorid. v y I In witness whereof we ha've'signed our names to this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses."

ROGER WILLIAM WALLACE. EUGENE WASSMER.

Witnesses:

O. J. on'rn, W. E. Rooms.

Copies '01- this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressingt-he "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0." i 

